Research News
Voices on the Rio+20 Conference: Dr Irene Ring
The UFZ researcher Dr Irene Ring, Deputy Head, Department of Economics, Head of the Working Group Conservation of Nature & Biodiversity, talks about her experiences in Rio.
Which position does science have within a major conference such as Rio+20?
Irene Ring: Science makes its contribution in particular by way of the so-called "side events", where we ourselves were represented with a presentation on our current EU project POLICYMIX. This year's International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE) conference even took place in "tandem" with Rio+20, directly preceding the summit.
Was scientific expertise asked for in Rio?
Ring: The international TEEB initiative, which is scientifically coordinated by the UFZ, enjoyed a great degree of prominence in Rio. I presented a TEEB session featuring lectures on the national and regional implementation, my colleague Christoph Schröter-Schlaack introduced our new project "Natural Capital Germany - TEEB DE".
What is your assessment of the conference's results?
Ring: Policy makers were unable to agree on demanding objectives. Yet our global markets need strong and reliable institutional framework conditions, which ultimately can be created only by politics.
